Cash for your baby?

Having a baby in the Volga River region in Ulyanovsk, Russia, (about 900km east of Moscow) might just earn you cash - terms and conditions apply.

According to the Associated Press, government in the Volga River region gave couples a day off from work yesterday to encourage couples to stay home and procreate. Incidentally, if they gave birth nine months later on June 12, Russia's national day, they will receive prizes ranging from cars, refrigerators, video cameras amongst other prizes.

September 12th was officially named the "Day of Conception" and this is apparently the third year the government has held such a campaign to address the issue of declining birth rates. Yes, everyone who has a baby on Russia's national day gets to win a prize and the grand prize (the grand prize in 2007 was a UAZ-Patriot Sports Utility Vehicle) goes to the "fittest parents" selected by a committee. Subsequent births on this day will even earn cash certificates worth $10,000 which can be used to improve living conditions or for the child's future education.

Russia is one of the most sparsely occupied countries in the world. Prior to this campaign, its population was reported to be shrinking by half a percentage point each year since the early 1990s. This year, the region reported improvements of 4.5 per cent in their birth rates compared to the same period last year.

Clearly, as strange as the campaign might sound, results show that it is working and what an innovative solution it is. Not only has it been effective in encouraging pro-creation, it also adds a dash of fun and patriotism as the country celebrates its national day every year.